This afternoon, while half-watching a show on MSNBC about people who steal bodies for cash (Body Snatchers of New York, for those of you with DVRs), my mind started musing about all the ways that life is different now that I am a "California girl." We've been living in this eternally sunny state for about four months now, but it seems like a lot longer than that. I can barely remember you, silly Dayton, Ohio, with your frequent precipitation and high concentration of obnoxious Ohio State Buckeye fans. Life has a way of changing quickly and drastically, before you even realize it's happening.
So here's the list:
1) I am no longer an albino, and my hair touches my shoulders.
Growing up on the tundras of Minnesota, I long ago came to terms with my pale porcelain complexion. I've always found tanning a little shallow (and unhealthy), and since moving to a place where the UV levels are off the charts, I'm an avid sunscreen wearer. Even so, I looked in the mirror the other day and discovered I'm brown! I'm fairly certain even basement hermits get a tan here. Hopefully my tan is the charming "I'm sporty and outdoorsy" kind, instead of the citrusy "channeling Matthew McConaughey" kind. Also, I have always always always had really short hair. I can't remember the last time I could get it up in a ponytail. Mostly I'm lazy, and like to just wake up in the morning and go. Usually I don't even bother to blow dry. Now I'm letting it grow, but for basically the same reason - I'm lazy. The only hair salon within 20 miles is a Super Cuts, and it's too much work to have to plan a drive into town, and find someone I can trust not to butcher it. So, long hair here I come! Hopefully I'll be able to braid it and use it to climb hills and rappel out of castles (there are so many around here, you know) like Rapunzel.
2) I eat lettuce?!
I've always looked down on people who order salads in restaurants, let's be real about it. You're basically ordering grass, and paying ridiculously inflated amounts of money for it. Get serious, and order yourself some chicken tenders. As you may have guessed, I have never been a fan of the leafy and green. Enter our local CSA program, where we get weekly boxes of local produce from organic farms. Every Saturday I get a new head of beautiful purple and green lettuce, fresh and crisp, and I find myself surprisingly smitten. I can't begin to explain it - but it tastes better than any lettuce I've ever had. The flavor is just amazing! I eat salads almost daily now for lunch. One week when I didn't get a box due to a vacation trip, I got some pre-bagged lettuce from the store to get me through the week. I fixed myself a portion for lunch, and promptly wanted to throw it all up. The grocery store stuff tasted like plastic. Leafy plastic. I don't know what I will do when we move away from here, but it is likely that lettuce and I will become foes once more.
3) I'm embracing my inner "officer's wife"
This is our first assignment where my husband has not been attending school. Now that he's working and is a part of a specific unit, there are built-in social organizations for the womenfolk. I was lucky enough to befriend some great ladies early on, and was encouraged to join the Officer Spouses Club on base. At first I was a little concerned that I was rushing a sorority or becoming a debutante or something, but thankfully there are no "coming out" balls, Greek letters, or hazing involved. They do a lot of good work for the base community, but also just have a good time. I'm serving as a welfare treasurer this year on their board. I'm not really entirely sure what this means yet, except that I am likely going to have to brush up on my Accounting 101 skills. I'm excited because it is going to be a fun opportunity to learn more about the Air Force, and meet new people.
4) I want to be a nurse.
I haven't worked in a few years. I dealt with some health issues, and moved cross-country twice in a short time span. Now I'm actually in a place where I'd enjoy working at least part-time, but the Antelope Valley is not exactly a source of economic prosperity. My undergrad business degree doesn't really get me far in a place with only retail sales opportunities. I've been thinking about going back to school for a while, and have always had a slightly morbid obsession with everything medical (I am a huge fan of such fine television programming as "Dr. G - Medical Examiner"). Also, it seems that nursing is a fairly portable and lucrative career path. Thankfully, California makes public education very accessible and affordable, so I am taking full advantage of it and heading back to the classroom. I'm going to be working on the science prerequisites I need in order to apply to a nursing program. I'm taking biology and chemistry this semester. God help me.
5) I am blessed.
Moving to the high desert has forced us to adapt to a slower paced lifestyle. We go out to eat less, shop less, and spend most of our nights and weekends at home. As a "domestic goddess," I have had to find new and inventive ways to fill my days. It was an adjustment, but also a gift. I am so lucky that I get to spend so much quality time with my husband. We have a beautiful home with a large yard for our energetic puppies to zoom around, and endless desert trails right outside our door to explore. I have had the time to improve my culinary skills, and have discovered I love to cook and bake. When we got married, I didn't even know how to use a can opener. Seriously. We have great friends, and there always seems to be some fun social gathering coming up. Today I'm enjoying a low-key Sunday close to home. We took the dogs for a walk up in the hills this morning. When we reached high ground we paused to enjoy the view of the Antelope Valley down below us. It looked almost picturesque from all the way up there :).The weather was perfect, not too hot yet with a pleasant breeze. It was one of those moments when everything seemed right with the world. Contentment swept over me. Today is a good day. Wishing you and yours that same feeling wherever today finds you.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Puppy Beach Day!
Our golden retriever Tess, is a great lover of all things aquatic. She enjoys lakes, ponds, puddles, sprinklers, kiddie pools, anything. Tess once leaped into the bathtub while I was trying to indulge in a relaxing bubble bath (wet canine harshed my mellow). When we first got her as a puppy, we resided in the Land of 10,000 Lakes - so meeting her needs in this area was never an issue. In the past few years however - bodies of water have been sorely lacking. First we lived in southern Ohio, where there were only a handful of man-made lakes (blasphemy!), and now in the California desert, home of irrigation canals and not much else. We decided she had gone without long enough, and decided to trek to Santa Barbara today to explore the Arroyo Burro Dog Beach.
We arrived to the beach around 11:15 in the morning. The weather was overcast, and it was definitely sweatshirt weather, which meant that there luckily wasn't much of a crowd yet. The minute we started walking down to the shore, Tess was like a missile honed in on her target - and started pulling ridiculously hard to get to the water. When we let her and Buster off-leash, you would have thought it was the end of The Shawshank Redemption - freedom at last!! They chased each other gleefully and played hooky with the waves. Soon other dogs from further down the beach came to socialize, and Buster quickly zoomed off with a German Shepherd. My husband brought out the tennis balls, and for the next two hours, all Tess did was swim out into the ocean to fetch those tennis balls, zooming through wave after wave, and adorably paddling back in each time with her prize. All the other "parents" were impressed, as our Tess was the only dog who actually swam. The rest of the dogs, including Buster were content just to dip their paws in.
Overall, the trip was a riot. The other beachgoers and their dogs were all so friendly, and it is a beautiful beach. We only lost a dog once, when Buster decided to schmooze with a family about a half mile down the shoreline. As my husband chased him back to our area, Buster trounced on several families' blankets, sending wet sand flying through the air at unsuspecting sunbathers, but no one seemed to mind. We decided to call it a day when Buster drank what seemed like a gallon of water, then proceeded to throw it all up on the sand. We loaded our sand encrusted fur balls into the back of the SUV, and headed for home.
We took a different route home, getting off the 101 and onto the 126. This drive is gorgeous, and takes you through the lush vineyards and fruit farms of the San Fernando Valley, thus avoiding the smog/gridlock/human suffering of the 405 (score!). It was a great way to end the day - a therapeutic late afternoon drive in the countryside with my wonderful husband, accompanied by the loud snoring of two sweetly sleeping canines in the backseat.
We arrived to the beach around 11:15 in the morning. The weather was overcast, and it was definitely sweatshirt weather, which meant that there luckily wasn't much of a crowd yet. The minute we started walking down to the shore, Tess was like a missile honed in on her target - and started pulling ridiculously hard to get to the water. When we let her and Buster off-leash, you would have thought it was the end of The Shawshank Redemption - freedom at last!! They chased each other gleefully and played hooky with the waves. Soon other dogs from further down the beach came to socialize, and Buster quickly zoomed off with a German Shepherd. My husband brought out the tennis balls, and for the next two hours, all Tess did was swim out into the ocean to fetch those tennis balls, zooming through wave after wave, and adorably paddling back in each time with her prize. All the other "parents" were impressed, as our Tess was the only dog who actually swam. The rest of the dogs, including Buster were content just to dip their paws in.
Overall, the trip was a riot. The other beachgoers and their dogs were all so friendly, and it is a beautiful beach. We only lost a dog once, when Buster decided to schmooze with a family about a half mile down the shoreline. As my husband chased him back to our area, Buster trounced on several families' blankets, sending wet sand flying through the air at unsuspecting sunbathers, but no one seemed to mind. We decided to call it a day when Buster drank what seemed like a gallon of water, then proceeded to throw it all up on the sand. We loaded our sand encrusted fur balls into the back of the SUV, and headed for home.
We took a different route home, getting off the 101 and onto the 126. This drive is gorgeous, and takes you through the lush vineyards and fruit farms of the San Fernando Valley, thus avoiding the smog/gridlock/human suffering of the 405 (score!). It was a great way to end the day - a therapeutic late afternoon drive in the countryside with my wonderful husband, accompanied by the loud snoring of two sweetly sleeping canines in the backseat.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Viva Las Vegas
My husband and I arrived home this morning at 10am, after endulging in a fabulous four day trip to Las Vegas. We are bleary-eyed, sunburned, bloated, and broke. And yet, I can't wait to go back. That, my friends, is the magic of Vegas.
My husband wanted to attend a technical conference being held in Vegas. He went last year by himself and enjoyed it, but was a little lonely. This year I decided to travel with him, and attend the conference as well. If there is anything I'm lacking, technical knowledge is it. I can't even manage to reload paper into the printer without jamming it at least once. So I figured maybe I'll learn something, God forbid. Anyway, we arrived late on Wednesday night. The plan was to attend conference sessions during the day, and explore the Strip at night.
I have only been to Vegas once before, about four years ago. That time we stayed at the Excalibur and mostly stayed on that end of the strip. This trip we wanted to explore the other side, so we booked a room at the Imperial Palace (link). I had never been there before, and it was a diamond in the rough. Imperial Palace is an older casino, but thankfully lacks the "smoke stink" common among casinos of comparable age (Flamingo, Tropicana, etc). We got a complimentary upgrade to a room with a balcony, it was clean and affordable, but most importantly, the proximity could not be beat. The heart of the Strip was right outside our door.
The conference was very interesting and I was able to absorb more than I thought I would. My eyes only glazed over a few times. Females were an endangered species, so all my single ladies, if you are seeking a tech-saavy man, consider attending next year - the odds are in your favor. The nerd quotient was high, which meant the people-watching options were vast. My favorite sighting was a woman wearing a light-up bunny ear headband who surrounded herself with stuffed rabbits, cuddling them while listening to the speakers. Amazing.
On Thursday night we had dinner at BB King's Blues Club (link) in the Mirage. Their house band played Motown classics by the Temptations, the Supremes, and more. It was all I could do to stay in my chair. I usually hate to dance, which shows how delightful the music was. The food was all Southern inspired. We had fried pickles for an appetizer, and I bravely ordered a catfish po-boy for my entree. It's not something I would order every day, but it was tasty! Another food pick is Pizzeria Francesco's in Treasure Island (link). They have great Sicilian pizza by the slice, perfect for lunch. Quality pizza is lacking here in the Antelope Valley, so Francesco's really hit the spot.
My husband has always wanted to go see Blue Man Group perform, so we decided to splurge and attend a show on Friday night at the Venetian (link). They do offer a military discount, just fyi, which helped a little. I didn't know a lot about Blue Man Group previously, and I wasn't sure it would be "my thing," but I truly recommend their show. It was just pure entertainment. The music was great, the lights and artistry were impressive, and the theatrics were a lot of fun. It's the kind of thing you don't get to experience every day, so if you make it out to Vegas, take advantage of the opportunity.
All day Saturday we acknowledged our inner pigs, and participated in the Buffet of Buffets tour. For $45, you can get 24-hour unlimited access to seven different buffets on the Strip (link). We began with breakfast at Paris. My husband recommends the crepes, and in general they had delicious bread and pastries. Lunch was at Caesar's Palace. Life-changing. There were hand-carved meats, fresh salads, mouth-watering pastas, and the highlight - professionally crafted desserts worthy of the Food Network. They had these chocolate covered Oreos with chocolate mousse that were to die for. Our dinner buffet at the Flamingo was mediocre at best, but we were still so stuffed from earlier in the day that we didn't really care all that much. Anyway, it's a great deal - if you eat at a buffet twice you will make your money back and then some.
This morning we checked out around 5am to beat the traffic. We'd been warned about the Sunday rush of people traveling back to the LA area from Vegas. Doubling our drive time didn't sound too attractive, so we downed large amounts of caffeinated beverages and hit the road. It was a fun and relaxing trip, but it is always comforting to be home. It's a little weird to be without our dogs, who are being boarded til tomorrow morning, but given my current state of semi-consciousness, it's probably for the best. I hope I get back to Vegas soon! There's so much to enjoy and explore. Also, I have a $4.75 voucher from the Rio I forgot to cash in that expires in 6 months, so I kind of have to. :)
My husband wanted to attend a technical conference being held in Vegas. He went last year by himself and enjoyed it, but was a little lonely. This year I decided to travel with him, and attend the conference as well. If there is anything I'm lacking, technical knowledge is it. I can't even manage to reload paper into the printer without jamming it at least once. So I figured maybe I'll learn something, God forbid. Anyway, we arrived late on Wednesday night. The plan was to attend conference sessions during the day, and explore the Strip at night.
I have only been to Vegas once before, about four years ago. That time we stayed at the Excalibur and mostly stayed on that end of the strip. This trip we wanted to explore the other side, so we booked a room at the Imperial Palace (link). I had never been there before, and it was a diamond in the rough. Imperial Palace is an older casino, but thankfully lacks the "smoke stink" common among casinos of comparable age (Flamingo, Tropicana, etc). We got a complimentary upgrade to a room with a balcony, it was clean and affordable, but most importantly, the proximity could not be beat. The heart of the Strip was right outside our door.
The conference was very interesting and I was able to absorb more than I thought I would. My eyes only glazed over a few times. Females were an endangered species, so all my single ladies, if you are seeking a tech-saavy man, consider attending next year - the odds are in your favor. The nerd quotient was high, which meant the people-watching options were vast. My favorite sighting was a woman wearing a light-up bunny ear headband who surrounded herself with stuffed rabbits, cuddling them while listening to the speakers. Amazing.
On Thursday night we had dinner at BB King's Blues Club (link) in the Mirage. Their house band played Motown classics by the Temptations, the Supremes, and more. It was all I could do to stay in my chair. I usually hate to dance, which shows how delightful the music was. The food was all Southern inspired. We had fried pickles for an appetizer, and I bravely ordered a catfish po-boy for my entree. It's not something I would order every day, but it was tasty! Another food pick is Pizzeria Francesco's in Treasure Island (link). They have great Sicilian pizza by the slice, perfect for lunch. Quality pizza is lacking here in the Antelope Valley, so Francesco's really hit the spot.
My husband has always wanted to go see Blue Man Group perform, so we decided to splurge and attend a show on Friday night at the Venetian (link). They do offer a military discount, just fyi, which helped a little. I didn't know a lot about Blue Man Group previously, and I wasn't sure it would be "my thing," but I truly recommend their show. It was just pure entertainment. The music was great, the lights and artistry were impressive, and the theatrics were a lot of fun. It's the kind of thing you don't get to experience every day, so if you make it out to Vegas, take advantage of the opportunity.
All day Saturday we acknowledged our inner pigs, and participated in the Buffet of Buffets tour. For $45, you can get 24-hour unlimited access to seven different buffets on the Strip (link). We began with breakfast at Paris. My husband recommends the crepes, and in general they had delicious bread and pastries. Lunch was at Caesar's Palace. Life-changing. There were hand-carved meats, fresh salads, mouth-watering pastas, and the highlight - professionally crafted desserts worthy of the Food Network. They had these chocolate covered Oreos with chocolate mousse that were to die for. Our dinner buffet at the Flamingo was mediocre at best, but we were still so stuffed from earlier in the day that we didn't really care all that much. Anyway, it's a great deal - if you eat at a buffet twice you will make your money back and then some.
This morning we checked out around 5am to beat the traffic. We'd been warned about the Sunday rush of people traveling back to the LA area from Vegas. Doubling our drive time didn't sound too attractive, so we downed large amounts of caffeinated beverages and hit the road. It was a fun and relaxing trip, but it is always comforting to be home. It's a little weird to be without our dogs, who are being boarded til tomorrow morning, but given my current state of semi-consciousness, it's probably for the best. I hope I get back to Vegas soon! There's so much to enjoy and explore. Also, I have a $4.75 voucher from the Rio I forgot to cash in that expires in 6 months, so I kind of have to. :)
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